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A Mother's Day Tribute: Thanks for the thankless

It’s a 24/7 job, and it’s all-too-often a thankless one. But once a year, we take a day to give the thanks that’s so greatly deserved.
For this year’s Mother’s Day, we at The Democrat decided to honor some of Wilson County’s most exceptional moms. Every nominee was exceptional in one way or another, but due to space limitations, we had to limit the number we could feature. Below are two nominees who stood out.

She managed to graduate high school and go on to business and junior college, and she also earned her license to do hair and nails.

And through all this, she was a single mom.

“I had to raise my children by myself,” said Clay. “I had to work two and three jobs just to make ends meet…Young ladies need to understand, when you have children at a young age, it’s rough. It’s really rough.”

She credits Jesus for carrying her through the rough times.

“Staying on my knees and praying, that’s what got me through,” said Clay. “Without prayer, I couldn’t have did it.”

‘...You never know when they’re going to leave this world’

Mt. Juliet’s Sharon Roberts, who was nominated by her daughter, Kimberly Roberts, is the mother of one surviving child.

Her son died in 2003, just shy four month shy of his 21st birthday.

“He passed away on her 30th wedding anniversary of double pneumonia. He was the baby of the family; there’s just me left now,” said Kimberly.

“She’s always been mainly the breadwinner in my family. She became strong in that aspect, but her strength really came through after my brother died,” continued Kimberly. “She’s my rock. If I need anything or need to talk to anybody, I go to her.”

Sharon said the most rewarding part of being a mother has been seeing who her daughter has become.

“To see her grow up and be so smart…” said Sharon. “She’s doing college online and getting her masters degree. None of my family went to college.”

But motherhood has not been without challenges for her.

“Me and my husband, we didn’t go past the 11th grade, and some of the work that they do now in math and other stuff…I didn’t know how to do it; I had to get somebody to show her how to do it.”

But by far the most challenging was the passing of her son.

“The most challenging is being able to let go when one [child] leaves this earth…When you raise one and see one go before they get to have a family of their own...” said Sharon. “I know where was a reason God took him from me, and eventually I will know when I get up there with him.”

The experience left Sharon with a piece of hard-earned advice.

“Always tell your loved ones you love them every day, because you never know when they’re going to leave this world,” she said.